FROM CHARLIE CHAN: "Spirits always have very long way to come.”
THIS WEEK Charlie Chan’s Number Three daughter, Frances, finds herself a witness to a murder during a séance. Mr. Chan is coaxed by the local police to take on the case, as Frances is also among the group of suspects! Join with us as we share “Black Magic” (also known as: “Meeting at Midnight”).
As is our custom, we begin arriving at 7:30 Eastern Time, we will be sharing, before our featured presentation, an “extra” in the form of a vintage Charlie Chan continuing radio drama! Following our “extra,” we will collectively run our feature at 8:15!
OUR PRESENTATIONS:
1.“The Baffling Murder of Colonel Willoughby,“ (part 2) radio program (1936; Runtime: 14:20)
2.“Black Magic” aka: “Meeting at Midnight” (1944; Runtime: 65 minutes)
FEATURE SUMMARY: A murder occurs during a séance conducted by a fraudulent medium. Birmingham Brown, who happens to be on the premises when the killing occurs as is Charlie Chan's daughter, Frances. Chan finds himself entangled in a dangerous web as he follows the killer's trail of death in a case that has its origins a decade in the past.
FILM NOTES: The working titles of this film were “Murder Chamber” and “Charlie Chan in the Murder Chamber.” It was also reviewed as “Charlie Chan in Black Magic.” The film was later reissued as “Meeting at Midnight,” probably so as to avoid confusion following the 1949 release of the Orson Wells film also titled “Black Magic.” Although a ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item lists Trevor Bardette in the cast, his participation in the completed film has not been confirmed.
TIME: We begin with arrivals and greetings at 7:30 EASTERN TIME. Then, we share our “extra,” which will be followed at exactly 8:15 (EDT) when we share our featured presentation “Black Magic.”
LOCATION: Our Charlie Chan Family Chat Room, which is accessed at http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html.
IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: Often our features can be found available online. GOOD NEWS! Our feature for this week, “The Chinese Cat,” is available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo-7AwC2nRM. Also, our “extra” can be found at: http://podbay.fm/show/288425504/e/1243404360?autostart=1
NEXT WEEK: “The Jade Mask” starring Sidney Toler, and we continue a new Charlie Chan radio drama, “The Baffling Murder of Colonel Willoughby.”
PLEASE accept this invitation share part of your Monday evening with us as we view together, enjoy, and comment on “Black Magic.”
